Overview
- Health Minister Nina Warken outlined plans for pharmacies to offer more vaccinations, provide cardiovascular early‑detection tests, and dispense certain prescription drugs in defined cases without a new doctor’s script.
- An agreed one‑off rise of the per‑package fee to €9.50 will not take effect this year, leaving the current €8.35 in place as the government seeks to keep statutory health contributions stable.
- Further measures include allowing temporary substitution with equivalent active‑ingredient products during shortages, loosening mandated opening hours, and expanding responsibilities for pharmaceutical‑technical assistants after additional training.
- ABDA warns closures will continue without swift, indexed remuneration reform as the network fell to 16,803 pharmacies by mid‑2025, down 238 since year‑end 2024.
- Pharmacists report more than 500 medicines are hard to obtain and highlight E‑prescription reliability issues, while online pharmacy groups dispute that fewer physical sites endanger supply; a draft reform bill is expected in October.